Napa Restaurants

[LuvTigger]

I have a trip to Napa coming up the 2nd week of September and wanted some feedback on my dining choices (2 days worth). We'll be staying at the Napa River Inn, and breakfasts are included.

These are the plans I have:
Day 1 lunch: Julia's Kitchen at COPIA
Day 1 dinner: Cole's Chop House
Day 2 lunch: LaSalette in Sonoma
Day 2 dinner: Celadon

I'm kind of re-thinking Cole's Chop House, only because the owner/chef is the same as Celadon, and I kind of wanted to experience different cooking styles. While BF and I enjoy good food, we don't really like stuffy atmospheres and service. We are casual people who enjoy casual, friendly (but good) service. I've also been looking for places with unique atmospheres. (I would love to do Auberge du Soleil, but I think that might be a bit too pricey!)

Any feedback or suggestions on a replacement for Cole's is welcome!

 

[barkley]

former 'napakin' here.

julia's is good, but be forewarned it's very pricey and the servings epitomize 'california cuisine' (in other words-plan on eating again after you leave). i've never been to coles or celadon.

as for reccommendations- in napa proper 'foothill cafe' on old sonoma road is excellent and while it's a nice place-it's not a place you have to get dressed to the 9's for. it always gets rave reviews from the san francisco reviewers, and people travel to napa from all over the bay area to go there (and not incredibly hard to get reservations for). i assume you'll have a rental car so i would suggest driving up to yountville to 'mustards'-they have traditionaly been one of the best places in the valley-and a 'must' for the visitors and groups i used to do resis for at one of the upvalley hotels. the c.i.a. (culinary institute of america) in st. helena (at the old christian brother's winery) does serve limited meals and they get raves. my personal favorite is 'all seasons cafe' in calistoga-awsome food, nice but comfortable atmosphere, when mondavi was doing in residence cooking courses this was one of the places their attendees went to (also a big stop on package restaurant tours of the valley).

just as a suggestion for grabbing food in town-downtown joe's for both pub food and nicer stuff, genova's deli (makes fantastic sandwiches and great italian to eat there or to go), buckhorn (in the downtown center in napa)-they are the small version of an INCREDIBLY popular restaurant in winters california, and at the napa location they serve (all counter service) great tri tip sandwiches, salads, and one of the best stews i've ever had (when we visit back home next month i will def. be grabbing a couple of bowls to take back to the hotel ).

OH-and a last suggestion-if you like chocolate or ice cream, go to 'annettes' in downtown napa. she makes the most awsome chocolates and truffles (and the smell inside the place is great even if you're too stuffed from a meal to partake).

have a great time-sounds like we are traveling the week before you. hopefully the weather will be nice, and they won't be enduring a heat wave.

 

[pumba526]

"OH-and a last suggestion-if you like chocolate or ice cream, go to 'annettes' in downtown napa. she makes the most awsome chocolates and truffles (and the smell inside the place is great even if you're too stuffed from a meal to partake)."

Hey! I'm a former Napakin too!!

I totally agree with your suggestion to go to Annettes for ice cream (although it was Partricks when I lived there)...the truffles are to die for!!

 

[barkley]

"OH-and a last suggestion-if you like chocolate or ice cream, go to 'annettes' in downtown napa. she makes the most awsome chocolates and truffles (and the smell inside the place is great even if you're too stuffed from a meal to partake)."

Hey! I'm a former Napakin too!!

I totally agree with your suggestion to go to Annettes for ice cream (although it was Partricks when I lived there)...the truffles are to die for!!

did you grow up there? are you a former indian or crusher???

 

[pumba526]

did you grow up there? are you a former indian or crusher???

Yes, I consider Napa my home town...I lived there 1973-1985...I moved there from the Bay Area when I was in 6th grade and I lived there until I got married and wanted to buy a house...real estate in Napa was too expensive for a young married couple. It was a great town to grow up in...I still miss it.

I am an Indian!!!! Boo Crushers! How about you??

 

[Pixie_Dust]

My advice would be to read the reviews from the SF Chronicle's Top 100 Bay Area restaurants, and once you find something you think you'll like, call them and make reservations. Their reviews are ususally a great guide, so you are likely to be pleased with your choice.

Cheers

 

[barkley]

Yes, I consider Napa my home town...I lived there 1973-1985...I moved there from the Bay Area when I was in 6th grade and I lived there until I got married and wanted to buy a house...real estate in Napa was too expensive for a young married couple. It was a great town to grow up in...I still miss it.

I am an Indian!!!! Boo Crushers! How about you??

crusher-graduated in '79. we moved in march to the middle of nowhere in washington state-and wierdness occurs, we find out our 2 closest neighbors (like both 10 acres away) are from NAPA

p.s.-by my estimation we attended high school around the same time-so you must remember the 'big game' when we trounced you 80 some odd to NOTHING

 

[pumba526]

crusher-graduated in '79. we moved in march to the middle of nowhere in washington state-and wierdness occurs, we find out our 2 closest neighbors (like both 10 acres away) are from NAPA

p.s.-by my estimation we attended high school around the same time-so you must remember the 'big game' when we trounced you 80 some odd to NOTHING

Barkley--

I pm'd you...

 

[Pixie_Dust]

You could always try Taylor's Refresher for a burger. They were just listed in the Bon Appetit's Top Restaurants special on the Food Network.

 

[barkley]

You could always try Taylor's Refresher for a burger. They were just listed in the Bon Appetit's Top Restaurants special on the Food Network.

taylor's is awsome! it has been there forever-just a little burgar place on the road. it has the distinction of being popular with the folks from up the hill in angwin for 2 very different reasons -

1. for decades it was the only 'fast food' place anywhere in napa, st helena, calistoga, yountville...that sold veggie burgars (angwin is for all intents and purposes a seventh day adventist town. the university is there, the hospital is there...all the bsns. are sda owned, the streets roll up at sunset on friday to reopen sunday morning in accordance with their sabbath practicies)-and practicing sda's are vegetarians. so taylors was THE place to go.

2. for decades it was the only 'fast food' place.....-and lots of sda teens and young adults 'cheat' on the vegan ways-so since no meat is sold or served anywhere in angwin, the kids raced down the road to taylors to get real hamburgars

quite literaly, on a saturday night you would see a line of headlights coming down the hill from angwin-all the college kids; first stop was taylor's to get a burgar, next stop were the bars that offered music and dancing (something that is pretty impossible to find in napa anymore ).

 

[LuvTigger]

Wow, thank you for all of the responses! I hadn't checked in a while, and then I had problems getting onto the DIS a couple of nights.

I ended up being flakey about my original plans for a number of reasons (partly because of the schedules of tours at the wineries, as well as their location -- my lunch plans didn't always fit).

This is what I am looking at now:
Day 1 lunch: fast lunch somewhere between Downtown Napa and Calistoga Day 2 dinner: Angele
Day 2 lunch: Syrah in Santa Rosa (we're going to Beringer in the morning and the Charles Schultz museum in the afternoon)
Day 2 dinner: Celadon (the only original reservation I have left!)

I think Taylor's might be a good choice for lunch on my first day -- I was originally just planning on eating lunch at the cafe at COPIA, but the burgers sound much better! I like that it's California beef that's hormone-free too.

Thank you for all of the other suggestions such as Mustards and the ice cream place. I did seriously consider Mustards, but ended up with my selections after reading numerous reviews, and also taking location into consideration. We're staying in the hotel adjacent to Celadon and Angele (which both received very good reviews), so they're very convenient for us and don't appear to be overly stuffy.

And thanks for the suggestion on the SF Chronicle's top 100. I'm still going to look at that because I am also looking for places to eat in San Francisco. On the night we get in, we're staying in Burlingame (Doubletree) near the airport. We get in around 8 p.m., so I'm planning on checking into the hotel and just finding someplace near the airport to have dinner.

I'm also looking for a place to have breakfast before driving to Napa the next day (via the Bay Bridge). I was thinking of looking for something with a view, maybe along Oyster Point?

After Napa, we're spending one more night in the city (Best Western Tuscan Inn, near Fisherman's Wharf). I'm looking for a place to have lunch in the city (I'm thinking North Beach or Chinatown), dinner (tentatively planning on the Crab House at Pier 39), breakfast the next morning, and maybe lunch at the Cliff House or one other place near the ocean that has nice views.

If anyone has any other suggestions or input, I'm all ears!!! Thanks again for all of the responses!

 

[barkley]

Wow, thank you for all of the responses! I hadn't checked in a while, and then I had problems getting onto the DIS a couple of nights.

I ended up being flakey about my original plans for a number of reasons (partly because of the schedules of tours at the wineries, as well as their location -- my lunch plans didn't always fit).

This is what I am looking at now:
Day 1 lunch: fast lunch somewhere between Downtown Napa and Calistoga Day 2 dinner: Angele
Day 2 lunch: Syrah in Santa Rosa (we're going to Beringer in the morning and the Charles Schultz museum in the afternoon)
Day 2 dinner: Celadon (the only original reservation I have left!)

I think Taylor's might be a good choice for lunch on my first day -- I was originally just planning on eating lunch at the cafe at COPIA, but the burgers sound much better! I like that it's California beef that's hormone-free too.

Thank you for all of the other suggestions such as Mustards and the ice cream place. I did seriously consider Mustards, but ended up with my selections after reading numerous reviews, and also taking location into consideration. We're staying in the hotel adjacent to Celadon and Angele (which both received very good reviews), so they're very convenient for us and don't appear to be overly stuffy.

And thanks for the suggestion on the SF Chronicle's top 100. I'm still going to look at that because I am also looking for places to eat in San Francisco. On the night we get in, we're staying in Burlingame (Doubletree) near the airport. We get in around 8 p.m., so I'm planning on checking into the hotel and just finding someplace near the airport to have dinner.

I'm also looking for a place to have breakfast before driving to Napa the next day (via the Bay Bridge). I was thinking of looking for something with a view, maybe along Oyster Point?

After Napa, we're spending one more night in the city (Best Western Tuscan Inn, near Fisherman's Wharf). I'm looking for a place to have lunch in the city (I'm thinking North Beach or Chinatown), dinner (tentatively planning on the Crab House at Pier 39), breakfast the next morning, and maybe lunch at the Cliff House or one other place near the ocean that has nice views.

If anyone has any other suggestions or input, I'm all ears!!! Thanks again for all of the responses!

i'm guessing you're staying at the napa river inn? if so check out the bakery 'sweetie pies' in the adjacent shops-they sell individual servings of items, and both the travel channel and food network have raved about it (my mil goes there allot-we've just never made it there but i'm going to try and run in when we're there in another week). you may luck out and be there when they start serving the cabernet grape pie-they announce the first week in september when it will be available again.

just as an fyi-the land that the hotel your staying at and the shops occupy used to have an awsome old victorian home sitting on part of it. it had been abandoned for years and when i was younger rather than going to the expense of demolishing it, the owners of the property offered it up for $1 to anyone who was willing and able to remove it. someone took them up on the offer and it's now located a few blocks away and houses some buisnesses (real estate companies and such)-it's a gorgeous building that was restored beautifuly. it was a huge attraction when the day came that those humongus trucks came and actualy drove it down main street to it's new location (when you arrive you'll see how small some of the streets are in that area-so it was quite the accomplishment for those big rigs to be able to transport it).